www.inddist.com INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION 21
replacement parts being shipped. For example, shipping just one metric ton of material from Asia to Europe
creates 264.5 lbs of CO2. By better managing equipment
replacement and using assets to their fullest capacity,
businesses can reduce waste and decrease carbon emissions — a goal for all companies.

Solid forklift tires are often misunderstood and tread is
a perfect example. In automotive tires, consumers know
it’s important to watch tread wear and for years people
have simply used the “penny test” to assess wear. This
method of evaluation though does not apply to solid
industrial tires. As a similar method of evaluation of tire
life is used for solid forklift tires, many tires are being
replaced with nearly 25 percent of tire life remaining. The
industry therefore needs to better understand tire usage
and tread life to ensure that waste and downtime are
reduced while sustainability is improved.

At my company, Trelleborg Wheel Systems, Trelleborg
tires are a key part of the global supply chain and we see
our role as helping customers understand the impact of
equipment decisions, both from an environmental and
business perspective. We want our customers to take the
opportunities for return on investment (ROI) that are
often revealed through a better evaluation of tire life,
greater education and the consideration of elements far
beyond price.

Considering Premium Products AndEvaluating ROI

It is always important to evaluate operating cost
per hour when considering any premium versus a nonpremium product. Operating cost per hour encompasses
all aspects of downtime and provides a full view of an operator’s business situation. Evaluating and understanding
that metric avoids short-sightedness, allowing businesses
a long-term return on investment. More importantly, the
operator should consider their individual business position in product evaluation.

For example, a major distribution center is an incrediblycomplex environment. Between managing several shiftchanges, high load levels and intricacies, business ownersneed to create simplicity and efficiency whenever pos-sible. However, choosing a premium product only worksif you don’t throw away 25 percent of its usable tire life;otherwise you don’t realize a tire’s full potential.

All of these factors should be evaluated based on the
number of lifts in your fleet and your overall business
needs. Again, the best way to evaluate premium equipment is to analyze operating cost per hour and how the
product impacts operational uptime. Time is the one
resource business will never get back.

Innovation To Gauge Remaining TireLifespan

At Trelleborg, we provide innovative, world-class and
top quality products, all while working to better understand the industry’s needs. Trelleborg recently commissioned a study highlighting the amount of waste in
industrial tires.

Forklifts are vital to a business’ bottom line and to the
global economy. With 85 percent of tires being replaced too
early and three percent replacing too late, fleet managers
have an opportunity to use new products and techniques to
create a more successful global supply chain.

Jimmy McDonnell is the director of OEM Sales for
Trelleborg Wheel Systems’ industrial and construction
tires in North America. He has more than 25 years of experience in the industry and currently serves as the chairman of the TIA’s tires, wheels & casters sub-committee.